


Let's plot a game [a prequel to Let's Play a Game]

by jello12451



Series: Chronicles of the children lost (AKA: Pit fics) [1]
Category: MCYT’s City of Madness (discord server), Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Death, Gen, Minimal amounts of Crack but it's there, Oops, RPF kinda except we're all roleplaying lmao, The riddle masters are clueless but also cruel kinda, This is why you guys waited exactly 22 days for the last chapter of Let's Play a Game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-14 07:02:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29538627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jello12451/pseuds/jello12451
Summary: Twenty-five minutes.Ten riddles.Three champions.I have faith that you will succeed.Tell us when you’ve chosen your contestants. We will be waiting.So.Let’s play a game.OR: The origin story of The Pit, as told through the chaos of a certain band of squares. Featuring: The Pit, bones, a few cruel and clueless Riddle Masters, and many, many ash cookies.
Relationships: If there are any ships they're discord lore canon :), Platonic y'all lol
Series: Chronicles of the children lost (AKA: Pit fics) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2170146
Comments: 54
Kudos: 48





	Let's plot a game [a prequel to Let's Play a Game]

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aria_Cinabun](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aria_Cinabun/gifts), [Peanut_Brains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peanut_Brains/gifts), [Dragonlies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragonlies/gifts), [fundipanda](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fundipanda/gifts), [Eight0fSpades](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eight0fSpades/gifts), [idontwannaputmywattpadusername](https://archiveofourown.org/users/idontwannaputmywattpadusername/gifts), [trASHcantwrite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/trASHcantwrite/gifts), [AgentFred](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentFred/gifts), [nicolewithasoul](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nicolewithasoul/gifts), [fantasy_and_fandoms](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fantasy_and_fandoms/gifts), [Lunar_Eclipse48](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunar_Eclipse48/gifts), [Philosophical_beginnings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Philosophical_beginnings/gifts), [punkwildebeest](https://archiveofourown.org/users/punkwildebeest/gifts), [khelixe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/khelixe/gifts), [Katterwaul](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katterwaul/gifts), [RobynTheWriter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobynTheWriter/gifts), [N1ght0wl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/N1ght0wl/gifts), [Akairyc](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akairyc/gifts), [mmmajora](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mmmajora/gifts), [tinipeepee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinipeepee/gifts), [iehaa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/iehaa/gifts), [aVoidofRoses](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aVoidofRoses/gifts), [PIE_CRUST129](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PIE_CRUST129/gifts), [lizz_mer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizz_mer/gifts), [BlueQuills](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueQuills/gifts), [witsendlight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/witsendlight/gifts), [ClockWise127](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClockWise127/gifts), [moonquid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonquid/gifts), [R3n_Ren](https://archiveofourown.org/users/R3n_Ren/gifts).
  * Inspired by [let's play a game](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27677894) by [Aria_Cinabun](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aria_Cinabun/pseuds/Aria_Cinabun). 



> This is for the discord server as a whole. Sorry if I missed anything in advance- there's too many of you lol  
> You should join the discord server: https://discord.gg/cCwUJD7bgJ  
> Enjoy :)

Did you really think you solved it?  
No.

Dear followers of Aria. Welcome to the last challenge you must face in order to claim your prize. In order to get Aria to finish weaving this story.

I congratulate you all for getting so far. Solving all those riddles- except for number 18, and number 28, but I’ll set that aside for the sake of your dignity- is no small feat. 

But did you really think it would be that easy?

I, Jello12451, have designed a little game for you all.   
If you didn’t hate riddles already, you sure will now.

In the story, Tommy and Tubbo had been forced to solve riddles under a time limit, fighting for their lives. As merciful Riddle Masters, we’ve ignored the time limits, and even when one week ran out, Aria has continued to write.

This time, you’ll have twenty-five minutes to go through ten riddles, all of which are of the design of various riddle masters- Julia, Guppy, Fundip, Marina, and of course, myself. You can only access the next riddle after solving the one before. Once the time runs out, your progress will be locked in place, and you will be unable to guess any more. Solve all ten, and you will become a champion. Once there are three champions, the story will be finished.

Should you advance too quickly for our tastes, we  _ will _ change the parameters, and the difficulty of the riddles. But if you have gone too long without much progress to be made,  _ perhaps _ we will consider adjusting things to make everything easier. We are not needlessly cruel, after all. 

Actually, that is a lie. But I’m sure you’re aware of that already.

You may only send one person in at a time. There is to be no discussion between those that have entered the Pit and the ones that wait in anticipation outside. Once you have died, or become a champion, you are not to discuss the answers. We have spare riddles at the ready, to change them up, to keep you all on your toes. 

Unfortunately, technology in the Pit is not as developed as I’d hoped. I, or one of the other Pit Masters, will have to be moderating your runs. Choose your contestants wisely, for only a maximum of four will be allowed into the pit each day. 

Be careful. One wrong input, one wrong guess, and you will be set back one minute. 

Twenty-five minutes.  
Ten riddles.  
Three champions.

I have faith that you will succeed. 

Tell us when you’ve chosen your contestants. We will be waiting. 

So.

**_Let’s play a game._ **

~

“Aria is not satisfied with how much they’ve gone through.” Julia mused. “We need something better.”

“Are you  _ serious? _ ” Fundip asked incredulously. “Twenty-nine riddles, many of which  _ traumatized _ them- how sadistic can you get?”

In a room, in an area unknown from the rest of the squares of chaos, five riddle masters sat around a table, brainstorming ideas for the next riddle for the system. It’s a weird world, the one that they live in. So very different from yours.

In all honesty, compared to the worlds they visit, they are literal gods. After all, the Queen of Havoc herself can change fate with the stroke of a pen. And all of her followers, despite the pain that she makes them go through with the stories she weaves, ask for them.  _ Beg _ for them, even. 

They have an interesting system. The Lady of Mayhem oversees and makes sure everyone stays in line. But Julia can only do so much, and thus, there are the Knights of Turmoil- Guppy, Kash, Kitsune, Wise, and Kat.

And there are favourites, too- people who have gotten on various Knights’ or the Lady, or even the Queen herself’s good side. Countesses and Squires, they’re named- but not all of them have a permanent position.

Perhaps you’ve read some of these stories. There’s one that talks of a fallen angel. There’s another of a phoenix’s rise and fall. And there’s… this one.

You see, Aria is not kind. She makes  _ people _ \- what she likes to call characters-  _ suffer. _ Death, rebirth, pain, torture- all of it. But despite that, her followers want more.

The Squares of Chaos continue to beg for more.

And thus, there was Let’s Play a Game.

Another story. Just another story. But in order to convince Aria to finish weaving this story, the Squares had to solve riddles. Twenty-nine total.

Of course, she could not manage this on her own. And thus, there were two riddle masters- Julia and Guppy. Some of the squires, however, in a bid for power, submitted their own riddles for others of their ilk to solve.

Thus, three more riddle masters. Jello, Fundip, and Marina.

Who were all currently arguing.

“The Queen does not like to be displeased.” Julia said breezily. “She wishes for more pain. So we, as Riddle Masters, are bound to give it to her.”

Marina shrugs. “We can always make the riddles harder.”

“Except.” Guppy cut in. “We promised them that they can skip a riddle after a week as long as it’s a single riddle. So we need something more.”

“Sadists, all of you.” Fundip muttered. “Fuckin’ sadists.”

“Language.” Jello interjected tiredly. “I do have something, but… well. It’s not tested, and needs work.”

All four heads turned to them.

“...an idea, you say.” Julia’s eyes gleamed with interest.

Jello stood up. “Follow me.”

~

“What. The. Hell.”

In front of them was the entrance to the underground. A rocky cave, leading down a spiraling staircase, and once they made it to the bottom…

“Welcome to the pit.” Jello’s voice echoed as they walked in.

“The pit.” Guppy drawls. “Very creative.”

“It was Aria’s idea.” Jello muttered. “You know how, like, these stories won’t happen until give or take, four or five years later?”

“...yeah?” Marina asked warily.

“Well, this is it.” Jello gestured to the sandy pit, seats lining the edges for spectators to watch, tables set up, fight areas and curved swords as unbalanced as  _ heck. _ “The pit. The one that Tommy and Tubbo are doomed to live in in a couple of years.”

Jaws dropped at the revelation.

“Wait- this is it?” Fundip stared at the details, all of which had been written on paper and woven into the very fate of several people.

“Yeah.” Jello said. “How else do you think I became a squire?”

“I just assumed it was the song…” Fundip muttered.

Jello snorted. “That too. But this-” They spun around. “This is why.”

“So we’re in the world, right now?” Guppy asked, interested. “The world of Let’s Play a Game?”

“Yeah.” Jello traced the creases on the wood. “I don’t have the other games set up, yet, but… there’s ten riddles, and twenty five minutes. Maybe we’ll give hints, but… yeah. That’s the general gist. And of course, we’d have to switch out riddles, but…”

Julia clapped her hands together. “I love it.”

Fundip and Marina exchanged a look.

~

“And we have our first contestant.” Julia smiles with too much teeth. “Kat.”

The knight in question takes a deep breath and walks through, and is startled by a voice. A chorus of voices, actually. 

“So you’re the one they sent in. Welcome.” Marina smirks. “I hope you've said your goodbyes. Because either way, you will never see your friends again, whether it be because you will be dead, or you will be a champion, forever locked in here with an empty crown.”

Kat begins to sweat.

“Allow me to remind you of the rules. You have twenty-five minutes to go through ten riddles. Fail, and your progress will be locked, and you will no longer be able to guess. Succeed, and you will wait and watch as others attempt the riddles as well.”

Marina’s distorted voice continues. Kat takes a deep breath.

“When you’re ready, say a single word: start.”

“So.”

“ _ Let’s play a game. _ ”

Kat breathes in, then out. “Start.”

Immediately, a scroll of parchment is launched at Kat, seemingly out of nowhere, and she catches it. Unrolling it, she is met with a few lines of words.

Her eyes scan every line, and she raises her head confidently. “Hourglass.”

A second scroll is launched at her. She catches that one, too.

Her eyebrows furrow.

“20 minutes left.”

Kat’s head snaps up, and she immediately scans the lines again. She inputs answers. They’re wrong.

One minute cooldown.

She frantically tries. Again and again.

“15 minutes left.”

The hourglass in front of her drains. It drains and drains and drains, and she can do  _ nothing _ , because her answers are wrong-

“10 minutes left.”

She has to get the answer right. She can’t die, not now, not here, Lee is still waiting-

“5 minutes left.”

She’s dead. She knows she is. But she won’t stop trying, she cannot submit to them,  _ damn the Riddle Masters- _

“Time.”

Kat swallows dryly. There are guards, mindless characters created by Aria, preparing to drag her out, but she refuses to show weakness. “I suppose this is it. I’d prefer to be cremated, please.” 

~

“Get the crematorium ready.” Jello said.

Marina nodded.

~

“Huh?”

“Wait Kat, why are you dead?”

“It’s fun to be a ghost! I took this as an excuse.”

“...alright then.”

~

The second contestant is Pie. But Pie, as brave and commemorable she is, is met with the misfortune of a difficult first riddle.

It’s terrible.

“20 minutes left.”

Her mind rushes through all the possibilities, and she announces answers, but they’re  _ wrong _ , and the hourglass drains-

“15 minutes left.”

_ Think, think. Think! _

“10 minutes left.”

Hints. They give her hints. Hints, but they don’t make sense- why are the Riddle Masters like this?

“5 minutes left.”

Panic. She’s never quite felt fear like this, not when she talked with the other squares, not when she waited in anticipation for the finale of the story-

“Time.”

Pie slumps in defeat.

~

“Do you suppose.” Fundip drags out the word. “We could make them… easier?”

“No.” Julia decides. And her word is final.

Because in the end, she is the Lady, and they are the knights and squires.

~

“Valiant effort.”

Pie spins around, and meets Kat’s eyes. “Am… am I dead?”

Kat shrugs. “I suppose. Don’t worry. Aria  _ should _ be able to bring us back to life, later.”

Pie nods.

~

Otter fights. Otter fights, as well. And on the same day, Eclipse is sent in, too.

But they only make it so far.

And two more join the other two bodies, and the first day finishes.

~

_ Tick tock! Bing bong! Of four contestants who entered the arena today - none have emerged victorious. Give a hand for our fallen companions- Katterwaul, Pie, Otter, and Eclipse! Wait until tomorrow as we clean the blood from our hands - I mean, sands! Wouldn't want the Pit to look anything but pristine when the next victim - I mean, contestant, enters, would we? _

~

In the kingdom of squares, a lone one by the name of Kahoot draws Kat, a pie, an otter, and a moon.

~

“Oh my GOD.”

“YES! YES, SHE’S GETTING THERE!”

“HOT DAMN!”

“HOLY SHIT!”

“WE MAY HAVE A CHAMPION ON OUR HANDS!”

~

You didn’t read wrong. On the second day, the very first contestant that entered- pipsqueak, she is called- was the first champion of the Squares. There were celebrations, cheering, and hope. Hope filled the squares, and everyone began to believe that maybe, just  _ maybe _ , they wouldn’t have to sacrifice too many to the pit, in order to finish the story.

In fact, you may wonder why they were willing to die for characters. Mere  _ characters _ , people that they might never know.

Well. There’s quite the catch.

If you’re here, you’ve read the story. You know that we succeeded. So you’ve seen the mentioned people of the squares- Kash, Crown, Dory, Amber, Anna, Asy, Sylvie, Nath, Val, Guppy, and Kitsune. The truth? All eleven of them were to be killed and to be reincarnated into the story. As characters. 

Even Guppy, later. When she fell out of favour, and when Aria was angry enough to send her in, right after her wife.

But for now, Guppy remains a triumphant Riddle Master. And when she dies, she is pulled back, into the body of a Pit Master. But that is for later.

An unfinished story is the worst fate one can have. It means that you’re forever trapped in a position, and you will never be released until the manipulator of your fate decides to finish it. It can be the worst position- a blade, right above your head, an arrow, travelling towards you, frozen in midair, falling to your certain doom.

To save those eleven squares, the rest of them are giving up their lives.

One. By. One.

~

Agent was next.

She fought. She fought valiantly as well, and persevered even when Fundip messed up the pit.

~

“FUNDIP, YOU FUCKING IDIOT!”

“HUH?”

“YOU JUST MESSED UP- SHE CAN’T SEE THE HINTS! SHE CAN’T SEE THE SCROLL!”

~

And as a result, Agent was given extra minutes. Perhaps it wouldn’t have mattered, anyway, but she was given them.

After all, she did not solve the 6th riddle. But she got far.

~

“You did really well, you know that?”

“...Pip?”

“Yeah. I can talk to you guys. I’m not sure how, but… it’s lonely, in here, you know? There’s no one else. And the food is good, but like… ugh. I can’t even talk to the alive ones like you guys can.”

“...excuse me?”

“What?”

“We can talk with the ones that haven’t gone yet?”

“I think so? Only barely, though, and they have this way of making sure you don’t say any of the riddles you’ve gotten. You’ll be lucky if they don’t end up believing you’re insane, or anything. But… I think they can hear the whispers.”

“Well.”

“Huh. that’s… a turn of events. Hey, want an ash cookie?”

“Yeah, sure.”

~

“Fundip.”

“...jello, we can talk about this-”

“Fundip. I am going to murder you.”

“No murder, please.”

“Shut up, Marina.”

“Listen to Marina- jello- jeLLO-”

~

No, if you were wondering. Fundip was not murdered, though he was demoted.

~

The one after was Peanut.

They most likely would have succeeded, had their path not been blocked by two riddles.

_ Think. Think! Purple, Pink, shapes… _

“20 minutes left.”

_ Iconic… snazzy… green, blue and purple- _

“15 minutes left.”

_ Think! _

“10 minutes left.”

_ Oh god, okay. Okay. I- Guppy, why- okay- _

“5 minutes left.”

_ No no no no! Okay, made into a skin… crap. _

“Time.”

And Peanut joins the fallen.

~

“Ooh, ash cookies.”

“Yeah. I mean, objectively, our situations kinda suck. But at least we get ash cookies.”

“They taste terrible.”

“I know.”

“I’m making better ones.”

“Please do.”

~

And Bluequills is next.

Perhaps, if Jello had been awake, Blue would’ve succeeded. After all, Jello has always been partial to her. But Jello had decided to take a rest, and Blue, unknowing of this, had volunteered herself into the pit. 

And just like the one right before her, she spent time on Guppy’s riddle. The same one. Too much time.

She solved it, but by then, the sand in the hourglass was too far gone.

And thus, on day two, the pit gained three bodies.

~

_ Tick tock! Bing bong! Of four contestants who entered the arena today - one emerged victorious! Congratulations to Pipsqueak! But, in addition, give a hand for our fallen companions- Agent, Peanut and Bluequills! Wait until tomorrow as we clean the blood from our hands - I mean, sands! Wouldn't want the Pit to look anything but pristine when the next victim - I mean, contestant, enters, would we? _

~

In the kingdom of squares, a lone one by the name of Kahoot adds a bee, a peanut, and a quill to the chronicle.

~

_ Nothing is the same. Nothing is the same… nothing is the same. _

_ The world of shadows, the world of lies… when will the world stop shifting beneath my feet? When will the ground stay still? _

_ Avenge the Fallen! Clear the Pit! _

_ The ghosts welcome all fallen bodies with open arms. _

_ You are one of us, and tomorrow there will be more of us. _

_ More, more, more, until the pit overflows with bodies. _

~

The voices start, now.

Liz frowns when she hears them. She plays them off as her imagination, at first, but when the voices come back, over and over, the countess begins to wonder.

“...Hello?” She calls out to no one in particular.

Immediately, a chorus of voices assault her mind.

_ SHE CAN HEAR US! _

_ POG _

_ Shush. Liz, listen to us. You’re not mad. Tell our story. Tell the story of those that have fallen in the Pit. _

She considers it. Then shoves the thought away.

“Aria wouldn’t like it.” She dismisses the voices, ignoring how they scream and plead and shout, and she leaves.

~

Scary, for six. Scary fought hard.

But it wasn’t enough.

In the end, really, all of them fought hard.

And only a few of them succeeded.

Scary is the first of two to enter and die in the pit. The other one is Gael, and they join the chorus of voices, floating around aimlessly.

Two more bodies.

And so many more to come.

~

And Kahoot adds a sunrise and a cat to the chronicle of the fallen.

~

Day four was brutal.

Four more were sent in, and none of them came out.

Perhaps I’m not being fair to these people. But there are so many. So, so, so many stories to tell, and not enough time to tell them all.

But I digress.

Theo is the first one. He does not leave, being seven riddles short.

Khelixe is the second one. She doesn’t leave, either, dead at two.

Kahoot draws a knige and a house in the chronicle before she volunteers herself for the pit. 

And she doesn’t succeed either. Four riddles, and then her body joins the rest of them.

Bean is the last one of that day. He gets to four riddles, just like Kahoot, but he is not chronicled like the others.

Nor are all the ones after that.

There are journals, now. The fallen write on brittle paper with nearly dried ink.

I wonder if anyone ever found them.

~

“I’d think Kitsune is allowed to fight for her own freedom.”

“Guppy, you’re being partial.”

“Fuck off.”

“Language. I don’t see a problem with letting Kitsune in. It’s not like she’ll die- Kat’s just a ghost for the fun of it.”

“But-”

“All in favour of letting Kitsune run the pit, say Aye.”

“Aye.”

“Aye.”

“Aye.”

“Four to one, Julia.”

“...fine.”

~

Kitsune does not succeed. 

Kitsune makes it far, though. Just like Bluequills, she makes it to the eighth riddle before the hourglass drains completely. 

And though she cannot join Pip as a champion, she knows she tried her best.

~

There’s another knight, too. Her name is Wise. 

She makes it almost just as far. She solves six, but fails anyway. But as a knight, she is killed and instantly revived.

After all, she does not need to meet the conditions to be revived. The others do.

There are three lives that each of them have. But they can only be revived should the conditions be met, and in this case, that condition is three champions. 

So they wait. And they haunt people’s minds.

~

_ Tell our stories. _

_ Defeat the Pit Masters. _

_ Tell our stories. Avenge us. _

_ Avenge the Fallen, Clear the Pit! _

~

There’s another Countess of Rebirth. Their name is Witsend.

_ Witsend, you can hear us? _

“I’m a Countess of Rebirth. Of course I can.”

**_Rebirth?_ **

**_Rebirth? We can live again?_ **

**_There is hope for rebirth?_ **

**_A SECOND CHANCE_ **

**_ALLOW US BACK INTO THE WORLD OF THE LIVING_ **

**_REDEMPTION_ **

“Oh. Oh god.” Witsend clutches at their head.

**_REDEMPTION_ **

**_REBIRTH_ **

**_REBIRTH_ **

**_BRING US BACK_ **

“THE RUIN COUNTERS IT!” Witsend yells, desperate to get rid of the voices. It works, and the voices quiet down. “The ruin counters it. I don’t have the actual ability to save any of you.”

The voices are quiet.

The Countess of Rebirth and Ruin sighs, rubs their face and pushes the conversation out of their head.

~

Day 6 is quiet.

But Day 6 is also the day when another joins Pip.

The sheer happiness Pip feels when she sees another that joins her-

“WELCOME! Oh my gosh, welcome, I was beginning to lose hope we’d  _ ever _ get another champion- Majora, wasn’t it?”

Majora nods, a grin on her face as well.

“Welcome! We can talk to the dead here.”

“Wait, seriously?”

_ Would you like an ash cookie? _

_ Yeah, they’re really good. _

Pip clears her throat. “Uh, no thanks. Don’t breathe ash, it’s bad for your dead lungs.”

_ But I wanna… _

_ Ash cookies are good! Especially the ones Peanut made! _

“No.”

~

The next one that went that day wasn’t so lucky.

Tini stared at the third riddle for what must’ve been fifteen minutes already. So many hints-  _ three _ \- and she still couldn’t figure it out.

“Two minutes left.”

_ Think, think,  _ **_think-_ **

“One minute left.”

A last ditch effort. “Bastion.” It’s wrong.

“Time.”

And another body joins.

~

“Tini, you were so close. You have no idea.”

“What was the answer?”

“...I can tell her the answer, right?”

“Yeah, sure, Fundip.”

“Soul Sand Valley.”

“...Jello, I’m going to punt you.”

“Punt Fundip instead.”

“Wha-?”

~

“I think I’m going insane.” Fundip says out loud.

_ You hear us. _

_ Naive, alive child. _

_ Tell them. Tell them of the deaths you partook in. _

_ Tell them of the blood on your hands. _

_ Avenge the fallen, clear the pit! _

Fundip groaned. Then, suddenly, a translucent fist collided with his cheek.

He rubbed it, blinking in shock. “What the fuck?”

~

Ro, wasn’t lucky either. Too much time was wasted on the second riddle, and the fifth one had them stuck.

Unbeknownst to Ro, she was  _ so very close. _

And she got it. She solved riddle five.

But there were only two minutes left, and “nether” was not the right answer for number 6.

“Time.”

And another joins the fallen.

~

“Amber wants to go.”

“But isn’t Amber to be killed?”

“We can just kill her early. She’ll be reincarnated into the story anyway.”

“...I guess.”

~

Amber did not make it. As scuffed as the run was, what with chaos as Kash and Guppy ran it, Jello watching with barely concealed disappointment- her defeat was undeniable, and she ran out of time.

That day, the fallen gained a new, fiery member, though that fiery member would eventually be taken away, and shoved into the story of the one they were fighting to finish.

~

“There's treasure here, in the secret keep  
Step quietly to find what you seek  
A weapon forged stronger than steel  
To force all foes, but one, to kneel.”

“Hmm. The Axe of Peace?”

“Nah. Try again.”

“...Pip, how bored must we be to the point where we’re  _ creating _ riddles to entertain ourselves with?”

“Anything to keep us away from the fallen, Majora. They’re really annoying, sometimes.”

_ I can hear you! _

“Yeah, yeah.”

~

And after that, the Pit was quiet for nearly a day. But of course, you can only go so long in a place like the pit without having blood stain the sands again, and thus, Pichu, Xiao, Eight and Nicole are new victims the next day.

Pichu gets far- farther than most, completing seven though being stuck at eight. The other two are dead at six, five and respectively, and join the ghosts.

And then the day after that, there is death, too- Bookworm, for one, Ash, for seven, Trin, for five, and Moon, for three.

But there is also life. 

After all, the Pit Masters couldn’t be at the Pit all the time. Wise joined their ranks, even though she’d eventually leave, travelling back to the kingdom of squares.

And they restart the cycle.

The fallen continue to look on, and the Champions languish in their little room, playing games until their third one will come and free them  _ all _ from this hellish place.

~

Wise. You may have recognized her.

She ran most of the runs from here on. As much as the Riddle Masters didn’t want to admit it, they didn’t quite feel the same satisfaction as they used to, from seeing them all fall in the pit.

Wise gladly fulfilled the role. She was kind, whilst the others were not.

~

And there are bodies upon bodies and more bodies upon bodies. The bone count rises. There are so many, and yet so few at the same time. 

Kai, for five. A new ghost, a special one- one that makes contact with the living through music instead of whispered and hushed words. 

Void, for six. She fought hard, but it wasn’t enough. She doesn’t talk much.

Nath, for four. The supreme socks leader, a former emperor of sorts- lost to the language and wording of the riddles. How far so many of them fell.

Gremmlin, for two. She was sweet, kind, and one of those that never hesitated to shower people in love when they asked for it. Lost to the pit.

Fab, for seven. Fab got far, and fought, just like all the others. And though the ghosts all know Fab, now, as the “rat”- she was perhaps one of the most clever of them all.

Koko, for four. Din, for five. Tea, for three.

Sunny, also for seven. Perhaps one of the most bitter of the group of ghosts that have accumulated in the pit. 

Owl, for six. Skylergy, for four.

If you had been keeping count, you would know that there are thirty-five bodies in the pit.

Thirty-five.

That’s a large number. 

~

And suddenly, there was silence in the pit.

Silence.

Utter, complete silence.

There were no screams. There were no shouts. There was no discussion between the Riddle Masters. 

There were no new bodies.

The ghosts grew restless.

The champions grew confused. 

But there were no new runs, and while that meant less bodies, that also meant less chances to win.

To find their third champion.

~

Do you remember, in the beginning, that I told you we had succeeded?

I lied.

The squares, in the end, didn’t quite succeed. There was no necromancy- there was no second chance for the ghosts, nor was there the third champion.

On the twenty-second day after the final challenge had been made known, Aria finished weaving the story. Perhaps out of boredom, perhaps out of pity- we do not know.

Maybe it was the Riddle Masters that felt bad for allowing the three that had worked so hard for riddle skips- Wowza, BlueQuills and Peanut_Brains- that they had allowed their work to go to waste.

Maybe it was that the ghosts finally broke them all.

Maybe it was the ash cookies that were quickly taking over the ventilation in the pit.

Perhaps we’ll never know.

But here we are.

And the ghosts waited eagerly for the day when they would be set free. 

~

**~Years later~**

They could hear them. Finally, the story was coming to a close- finally, the ten squares would be free, and the fallen ones in the pit as well. Guppy had been brought back, after dying in the story along with Kitsune- they all wait in anticipation for the victory they know is coming.

Marina looked bored. “Are they here yet?”

Just on cue, the elementalists they were expecting burst in, swords pointed. Technoblade, because he wanted to hurt those that hurt his younger brother. Dream, George and Sapnap, because they were the best at weapons. And so many more covens- five, or even  _ six _ , and some other kids that the Pit Masters have sent into the Pit over the years.

Jello breathed a sigh of relief.  _ It’s over. They can go home. _

Julia sighs, though for a different reason. “Well, they’re here. Release the squares’ souls. They can go back to the kingdom.

Guppy nods, and eight souls are returned to the kingdom of squares. The fallen ones in the pit are also given release.

_ Bitch. _ They heard a whisper.

“Shut up, Khelixe.” Guppy muttered. 

“Are you sadists done yet?” Fundip was mildly agitated. “They’re literally pointing swords at us.”

Julia waved a hand. “Aria won’t let them hurt us.”

“Let’s test that.” Fundip looked ready to shove Julia into a sword.

“Let’s not.” Jello hurried to interject. “Alright, time to dip.”

On cue, they vanished, leaving behind several very, very confused Elementalists. 

“What.” Dream said slowly. “The fuck?”

**Author's Note:**

> I want to say thank you so much to everyone who made the Pit possible! To my nameless friend who coded the custom Rolebot just to make our lives easier as Riddle Masters- to my fellow riddle masters, Julia, Guppy, Wise, Fundip, Marina and even Kash!
> 
> To every single person who ran the pit- there are 38 of you, and though I can't list you all, I want to know that I appreciate you all so, very much.
> 
> Thank you all for making this possible!
> 
> And, of course, to Aria_Cinabun, for writing let's play a game. A lovely story. :))
> 
> And on that note, I shamelessly plug myself:  
> My YT (recently wrote a clingyduo song!!): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQHHEpmzIrOYyxX659-3tfA  
> My own discord server: https://discord.gg/HwbkW8jqrf


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